The Stars Revived
by Lythis
Summary: Yusuke, Hiei, and Kurama have gone back to the Makai but now the Rekai is in danger and Kazuto Kuwabara must find the three missing Rekai Tantei...
1. Prologue: A Refusal to Aid

WARNINGS: Original Characters, OOC-ness, etc.....  
  
The Stars Revived  
- Prologue: A Refusal to Aid -  
By: Skylar Inari  
  
Koenma shook his head sadly. Everything was going wrong.  
  
After Kazuma had died - as well as Keiko, Astuko, Genkai, Shiori, and Shizuru from living out their normal life spans the peace brought on by the formidable Urameshi team had slowly started to crumble.  
  
Other Rekai Tantei teams had been assembled to stem the tides of destruction. Some had even lasted through more than one mission.  
  
But, in the end, none had been able to match the abilities of Yusuke, Kazuma, Kurama and Hiei. None had even come close.  
  
Now the Rekai was losing ground faster every day, the Ningenkai had been over run completely and was now inhabited by fiends unimaginable. Most of the remaining humans thought that the beasts were demons, but the door to the Makai had been firmly sealed during the Urameshi Team's last mission. The only time after that that it had been opened was to allow Yusuke, Hiei, and Youko Kurama to return to the demon world.  
  
Other than that the door to the Makai had been left firmly shut.  
  
The Rekai Prince picked up one of the many reports that were scattered across his desk and looked at it despairingly. Another village had crumbled under the weight of the invasion. That meant that the only parts of the Rekai that were still unconquered were The Palace and everything north of it.  
  
K'so. Half of the Rekai was gone.  
  
At this rate the Spirit World would be eliminated in the space of a month.  
  
"Koenma-sama! Koenma-sama!" George burst into the room.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Botan-san has found Kazuto Kuwabara!!"  
  
"I see. Where is he now?" Koenma calmly accepted the ferry-girl's accomplishment of the task he had set her nearly two months ago, however a thrill of excitement blossomed in his chest.  
  
"Botan is bringing him across the river Styx, Koenma-sama."  
  
"Good."Koenma reached for another piece of never-ending paperwork, "See to it that he comes to me the moment he arrives."  
  
"Yes, Koenma-sama."  
  
***  
  
Koenma sat easily in his adult form in the large room that had been - temporarily - cleared of sheaves upon sheaves of reports.  
  
Kazuto Kuwabara had been found!  
  
Even though he had managed to retain his dignity when George had told him, nothing could have made him feel more hopeful towards the future than that news.  
  
If only he'd accept the charge....  
  
If only...  
  
Then the Rekai would have a chance at surviving.  
  
And the Ningenkai would have a chance at liberation.  
  
Everything about his desperate plan hinged on Kazuto Kuwabara's acceptance.  
  
The doors to the dome-like room cracked open and Botan slipped in, her pink eyes tired but triumphant.  
  
"Koenma-sama, Kazuto Kuwabara is waiting outside. Do you wish to see him now?" Her voice filled the room easily making the chamber seem more alive than it had ever since the war had started.  
  
"Bring him in please, Botan."  
  
The ferry-girl nodded and left the room.  
  
Koenma leaned back in his chair. He'd learn the answer to his question once Kazuto Kuwabara showed up.  
  
The door opened again and Botan re-entered the room followed by...  
  
Koenma leaned forward in shock, to look at the strange boy closer.  
  
Yes, there was no doubt about who his grandparents had been.  
  
Kazuto Kuwabara had long, almost waist-length shimmering aqua hair and deep brooding red eyes. He was tall like his grandfather but without the width and bulk. Not to mention the fact that he was.... well, quite good-looking.  
  
Koenma was slightly disconcerted at what Kazuto Kuwabara looked like. It was a strange combination of Yukina, Kazuma and Hiei that looked quietly back at him.  
  
Please Enma-sama let him have inherited his grandmother's personality.....  
  
"What do you want me for?" The voice was quiet yet cut through the thick silence like liquid fire. Kazuto Kuwabara's voice held thinly veiled annoyance and no respect.  
  
The sharpness of the demand jolted Koenma back into total focus. "I'd like you to do something for me."  
  
"Why?" The tall slender part-demon shrugged, "I'm sure I wouldn't care for whatever task you have set for me."  
  
"I want you to find Hiei, Kurama, and Yusuke."  
  
The dark red eyes widened slightly, then narrowed again. "How do you expect me to do that? They left for the Makai years and years ago. You don't even know if they're still alive." The last bit was said sneeringly.  
  
Koenma fought to control his temper. Must not get mad. If he can fight anything like Hiei can it'd be bad to get him mad. "The portal would be opened to allow you to go through and then shut until we receive word that you've found them."  
  
"No." Kazuto's eyes were flat and unyielding.  
  
"W-w-what?" Spluttered Koenma.  
  
"You want me to go into a world that I know nothing of a try to find the most notorious thief ever to be born, a former king of the Makai who has enough power to stomp me flat and a fire demon who is so not known for his cooperation. Is that all?"  
  
"Well...you don't need to put it that way..." Said Koenma weakly.  
  
"I refuse."  
  
~Owari~  
  
I think I like Kazuto.... not sure why, because he's a jerk but............Meh, I like him. 


	2. Chapter One: The Barrier Between Worlds

WARNINGS: New Characters, OOC-ness, etc.  
  
The Stars Revived  
  
~ Chapter One: The Barrier Between Worlds ~  
  
By: Skylar Inari  
  
Kazuto Kuwabara sat easily on the edge of the plush bed he had been offered during the duration of his stay in the Rekai. He'd refused to go into the Makai.  
  
What had startled him was the instant acceptance of his refusal.  
  
It didn't make any sense.  
  
The ferry girl, Botan, had told him that she'd been searching for him for months.  
  
So.why had they given up after such a feeble attempt to get him to go? Why had they wasted so much effort only to give up on the last moment without even trying?  
  
The slender handsome part-demon lay back on his bed. So.why had they tried so hard?  
  
Oh, he hadn't the slightest idea to change his mind and take up the stupid quest. He didn't want to be some pathetic hero who saved the day and received praise and was revered everywhere he went.  
  
All he wanted was to go back home.  
  
But first he'd wait out the week.  
  
Koenma had requested that he remain in the Rekai for a week to re-think his decision. Once the week was over the Prince of the Spirit World had given his word that Kazuto would be ferried back to the ruins of the Ningenkai.  
  
Growling in irritation Kazuto dragged himself off of the soft - almost uncomfortably so - bed and leaving his room, walked in a ground eating stride to the audience chamber through the echoing hallways.  
  
Pausing at the door he hear Koenma talking to somebody. Cracking the huge door open Kazuto peered inside.  
  
"Do you accept the task of going into the Makai and finding Hiei, Kurama, and Yusuke?" Asked Koenma from where he sat on top of his throne.  
  
"I do." A high-pitched clear voice answered the question that Kazuto had refused. Kazuto's deep red eyes sought out the speaker of the answer. His eyes moved looking around the room, finding the owner of the female voice he nearly fell over from shock.  
  
The speaker was no more than a child.  
  
The child was very small and couldn't be over five years of age. She had jet-black hair that framed a pert face and wide green eyes.  
  
Kazuto forced the door all the way open, causing Koenma - in his adult form - to look up from his scrutiny of the tiny being in front of him.  
  
"What is it Kazuto?"  
  
"You can't send a child into the Makai." Kazuto's eyes narrowed as he glared in contempt at Koenma. "It's practically a suicide mission for someone like me who knows how to defend themselves against enemies, but for a child to be sent.that's just sick."  
  
Koenma's eyes deepened as he responded to the open hostility in Kazuto's manner and voice. "We. Have. No. Choice. But. To. Do. So. Kurama. Hiei. And. Yusuke. Must. Be. Found."  
  
"What did you have no choice in? Surely you could find an older person to take on the ridiculous journey to look for people who are probably dead?"  
  
"You don't understand what you are talking about!"  
  
"Then explain it to me." Kazuto got out from between clenched teeth, "Explain to me why my refusal has a little girl accepting the suicide mission!"  
  
"I'm not a little girl." The light airy voice interrupted the steady glares of the two men. The small form placed herself between them. "And since you are two stupid to see it for yourself I'll explain it to you. To make it through the barrier that has been put up around the Makai you must be a direct descendant of one of the last people to go through the barrier. Meaning you have to be related to Yusuke, Hiei, or Kurama to get through the barrier."  
  
Kazuto raised his brilliant red eyes up to meet Koenma's, "Is this true?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
The slender aqua-haired descendant of Kazuma and Yukina turned back to the small dark haired girl. "So whom are you related to?"  
  
The girl smiled, "My name is Aikuri Minamino, I'm related to Kurama."  
  
Kazuto snorted, "Not very likely."  
  
"What do you mean?" The warmth had faded out of Aikuri's voice. "I have the same last name as he did."  
  
"So? As if that means anything." Kazuto replied, "It's a known fact that Kurama has never sired any children so you can't be a direct descendant of his. The closest you can come to being related is through Kurama's human brother, Shuuichi."  
  
"So whom are you related to?" Aikuri asked in a frozen tone.  
  
"My grand-parents are Yukina and Kazuma Kuwabara."  
  
"Well, you aren't any closer than I am to being a direct descendant!" Yelled Aikuri. "You aren't a direct descendant of Hiei, so there! You can't get across the barrier either!"  
  
"As a matter of fact he can." Koenma's voice, now calm, carried over the arguing couple.  
  
"Then why can't I?" Demanded Aikuri Minamino peevishly, green eyes flashing.  
  
"It is a little known fact that Yukina went back into the Makai with her brother after the death of her husband."  
  
"Meaning.ah, crap, you don't mean that I'm the only one who can play hero this time do you?" Kazuto asked plaintively.  
  
Koenma beamed smugly, "That is correct."  
  
"You bastard." Kazuto's eyes narrowed into angry red slits that mirrored the loathing in his voice.  
  
"Whatever do you mean?"  
  
" You knew that I was the only one who could cross the border." It was not a question. Koenma looked positively delighted. "Why yes, I did."  
  
"And if I still refuse to go?"  
  
"Then I guess we'll have to try Aikuri instead."  
  
"You.you." Kazuto's tall slender form shook with rage.  
  
"I'll take that to mean you're going." Koenma's voice was smug.  
  
In a swirl of long aqua hair Kazuto left the room, his red eyes murderous.  
  
"That went rather well didn't it?" Observed Aikuri.  
  
"Yes, it couldn't have gone better." Koenma was silent for a moment, "He's got better control over his emotions than Kazuma ever did doesn't he?"  
  
***  
  
Kazuto packed up the few things he had cared enough about to bring with him. Three books, his katana, and a few spare outfits was all that he needed to survive.  
  
How dare that bastard manipulate him like that?  
  
There was no way that he would have let a child go anywhere near the Makai without.without an army.  
  
Slinging the pack over his shoulder he left the room quickly and headed for the transportation center.  
  
He needed a ride to the Border.  
  
***  
  
"Eh?! You're going?!" Botan looked up at Kazuto in shock, "But you said you wouldn't!" "If it's a choice between letting a child go into that hell hole or me going, I'll go. I will not let a child get murdered because I was too stubborn to say yes." The long aqua hair was now tied up into a ponytail high atop his head leaving only a few strands loose to frame his face.  
  
"I see."Botan answered distractedly, "What was the child's name?"  
  
"Aikuri Minamino."  
  
The ferry girl frowned in thought, her slender fingers playing absently with her hair.  
  
"Is something the matter?" Red eyes deepened.  
  
"What?" Botan shook her head in denial, "Just trying to remember something." She stood up, "Do you have a ride to the border yet?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Well, then. Come on, I'll take you."  
  
***  
  
"Can't you go any slower?!" Yelled Kazuto as he clung to the lithe ferry girl on top of the oar.  
  
"No!" Shouted Botan back into the wind, "If I go any slower we'll be caught by the invaders! They can't see enough to aim when we go really fast."  
  
"Well then, by all means, do go faster!"  
  
***  
  
"Here we are." Botan alighted down upon the barren landscape.  
  
Kazuto slipped off of the oar and looked around, red eyes lit with curiosity. "It doesn't look to dangerous."  
  
"You'll see.the hardest part of the crossing is coming up." Botan pointed to a spot a hundred yards in front of them. "That's where the barrier starts. Everything you see beyond that point from here is an illusion to keep people out."  
  
The part-demon nodded his understanding. "What will I have to do?"  
  
"You have to walk into the barrier and you'll be transported to the testing site where you will be tested to see if you truly are a direct descendant of the last four to go through." Botan replied.  
  
Kazuto Kuwabara narrowed his eyes, "What kind of test?" He asked suspiciously.  
  
"I don't know. I'm not allowed through, remember."  
  
"Alright. I suppose I don't have much of a choice but to go ahead anyway." Kazuto straightened his shoulders bracing himself for the testing and headed towards the barrier he could not yet see.  
  
"Aa! Wait a minute!"  
  
The handsome descendant of Yukina and Kazuma turned back, a mere ten yards from the barrier, and looked at Botan expectantly.  
  
She came running up to him digging franticly through her huge sleeves.  
  
"What is it Botan?"  
  
"I can't, I can't find it!" Her voice was slightly panicky as she continued rummaging through her pink outfit.  
  
"What can't you find?" Asked Kazuto with a tinged of impatience in his voice.  
  
"The summoning device that will allow me to know when you've re-crossed the border so I can come pick you up!" Botan looked up, "It's not in my sleeves! I'm certain that I remembered to bring it though."  
  
"You must have left it back at Koenma's place, just fly back there and get it. I'll wait right here, promise."  
  
"What? Are you sure?" Pink eyes went wide with the suggestion.  
  
"Go." Kazuto sat down upon a smooth topped rock, "I'll sit right here until you get back."  
  
"But - "  
  
"Look, the only place I can go from here is into the Makai and I'm so not going into the Makai without a way to get back out."  
  
"Alright!" Botan mounted her oar, "But you'd better be here when I get back."  
  
***  
  
Kazuto yawned. Botan had been gone an hour already. She had to be on her way back by now.  
  
Stretching he stood up. Boredom had set in.  
  
There was nothing to do but wait.  
  
A soft slither came from behind the large rock he had been sitting on.  
  
Spinning around Kazuto crouched down in a defensive position ready to strike if needed.  
  
"Now, now, we can't have any of that. It's bad manners, isn't boys?"  
  
A loud rumble of agreement came from all sides now.  
  
Crap. How had he been so stupid as to end up being surrounded?  
  
Twenty well-built fiends moved into view on all sides - except for where the barrier started.  
  
Kazuto slowly backed closer to the barrier.  
  
No matter what he had promised Botan, there was no way that he'd be able to defeat twenty monsters. He'd be ripped to shreds.  
  
Inching closer and closer to the barrier he made his decision.  
  
Going into the Makai was safer at the moment than fighting twenty things all stronger than you. At least in the Makai demons were able to be hurt.but the things in front of him, he'd seen one in New York get shot right through the head and it just laughed and ripped the shooter to shreds.  
  
He'd survive in the Makai, he'd die here.  
  
"Hey, boss! I think he's trying to make a run for it!"  
  
Kazuto bolted the last five yards to the barrier. It flared up all colors of the rainbow. Deep green light surrounded him and he disappeared.  
  
***  
  
.. He's strong.  
  
Is he strong enough to face Fate's tasks though?  
  
Not at this point.but the potential is there.  
  
When he truly Awakens.what will happen then?  
  
It'll be up to him.  
  
I don't like leaving such important choices to children.  
  
Hush, he's young but very mature.He'll do fine.  
  
If he survives this first task.  
  
Oh, he will. I have every faith in him.  
  
You always did like to side with losers.  
  
On another point, is he suitable to go through?  
  
You know he is.  
  
So he's not entirely a loser.  
  
Not yet.but he will be.  
  
You always were way too pessimistic.  
  
And you are still way too optimistic.  
  
Ha ha, very funny.  
  
Why, thank you.  
  
***  
  
He was lying on thick lush grass.  
  
That was enough to fully wake Kazuto up. The place he'd last been in had been barren. Slowly he remembered what had transpired.the invaders and the brilliant flash of green light.  
  
Had he been tested?  
  
Well, he supposed he passed. He certainly wasn't in the Rekai anymore and the Ningenkai had no more lush area's like this one left since it had been conquered.  
  
Checking to see that his pack was securely fastened, Kazuto pushed himself to his feet and moved into the wild forest in front of him.  
  
He'd do what he promised first and think about getting back to the Rekai later.  
  
~Owari~  
  
.Well, that didn't take to long too write. 


	3. Chapter Two: The Eternities Games

WARNINGS: New characters, OOC-ness.  
  
The Stars Revived  
  
~ Chapter Two: The Eternities Games ~  
  
By: Skylar Inari  
  
He's going the wrong way.  
  
Oh, stop fretting.  
  
No. What if he gets eaten? Or captured? Or something awful like that?  
  
::shrug:: He's resourceful, he'll survive.  
  
How do you know that?  
  
I...I... ::hesitation::  
  
Ah-ha! I thought so! You're lying! ::sniff:: You're so mean.  
  
Look...awww, geez, don't cry. I was only trying to make you feel better.  
  
By lying to me?  
  
It was the only way I could think of on short notice.  
  
Okay...promise not to do that again?  
  
::sigh:: Fine.  
  
So what are we going to do about him?  
  
Why would we have to do anything?  
  
He's going the wrong way! We have to turn him around.  
  
No. That's abandoning protocol completely. We can't show ourselves to him.  
  
::sniffles::  
  
Will you stop crying?! You know what that does to me!  
  
::sniffles::  
  
::sigh:: Fine. I'll help, but do we have to show ourselves to him? The very idea makes my aura crawl.  
  
He wouldn't hurt us you know.  
  
That's not the point. We have to remain unseen.  
  
Oh. Well, do you think the games would work on him?  
  
I suppose they might...but don't you think they're a little harsh for such an inexperienced youth?  
  
But they'd be fun...and they'd toughen him up.  
  
::dryly:: They could also kill him.  
  
But that's only a possibility, not fact.  
  
True, but -  
  
That settles it then! We'll play the game. Who'll start?  
  
::sigh:: I'll start.  
  
Kay!  
  
***  
  
Kazuto Kuwabara swore softly under his breath as an errant branch snagged in his long shimmering hair...again. Sighing he paused to untangle the captured lock.  
  
He was completely lost.  
  
Ten steps into the lush forest he had come to the conclusion entering the woods had been a very...unwise decision.  
  
His senses had shrieked in warning, and indeed they had been right to do so. He could feel a vague threatening presence overlaid every inch of the forest that he'd so far come across.  
  
Whatever had caused such a disturbance had been powerful, very powerful.  
  
And it was coming closer.  
  
A slow creeping youki was seeping into the surrounding area, the power of it nearly choking Kazuto.  
  
Silence. The youki seemed to be moving further away, Kazuto breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't want to get into a fight within an hour of his ending up in the Makai.  
  
::Crash::  
  
Kazuto's head jerked up as his body spun to face the sound. The little bastard had gone up into the trees and snuck around the lithe part demon.  
  
Damnit.  
  
He didn't want to fight right now. He didn't even want to be in this world right now. He wanted to be back at his little apartment in New Orleans helping out with the underground network comprised of the remaining humans.  
  
He wanted to be where he was useful.  
  
Where he was certain that he could survive.  
  
With that in mind Kazuto did the only thing he could think of.  
  
He ran.  
  
His long shimmering blue hair flying out behind him as Kazuto fought to get away from the demon with the least amount of hassle.  
  
The demon's youki slowly faded in the background as he gradually put more and more distance between him and the monster.  
  
Coming to a halt the slender man regained his breath and regarded the tangled strands of his long hair with a wry expression.  
  
"This isn't going to work." He told his hair sternly and with a bit off sigh put his hair up in a ponytail upon his head.  
  
Then gathering himself he set out at an easy pace. Keeping his senses alert to any sign of danger to him.  
  
***  
  
Yay! We did it! He's going the right way!  
  
We didn't do anything.  
  
That demon did before we had a chance to play any of our games.  
  
So? We'll steal the credit!  
  
Um...nobody knows we even exist...  
  
Are you trying to ruin my fun?  
  
Not really, just pointing out a few pertinent facts.  
  
Well, stop it. It's cramping my style.  
  
Your what?  
  
My style.  
  
::snicker::  
  
I told you to shut up.  
  
You don't control me.  
  
Well, I should.  
  
I happen to disagree.  
  
Pfft. You would.  
  
And your point is?  
  
Oh, let it drop.  
  
No. ::mutter::  
  
::CLANG::  
  
What was that?  
  
Hm? What?  
  
I heard a sound!  
  
Oh. That.  
  
Yes, that. What was it?  
  
Oh, nothing special.  
  
Tell me, damnit.  
  
I don't want to.  
  
If you don't tell me I'll sic Fluffy on Kazuto.  
  
::gasp:: You wouldn't!  
  
::glare:: Try me.  
  
::sulk:: Fine. But don't laugh.  
  
...  
  
Well, what do you think?  
  
::coughs:: It's a lovely cookie cutter but shouldn't you be paying more attention to Kazuto?  
  
I was going to make him cookies.  
  
...Why?  
  
Because I wanted to.  
  
You can't give them to him you know.  
  
I know! I was going to eat them myself and say that Kazuto had said I could have them.  
  
...  
  
What? Why are you looking at me like that?  
  
Then what's the point of saying that the cookies are for Kazuto.  
  
It makes me feel good.  
  
Su~re.  
  
***  
  
Kazuto Kuwabara stretched tiredly as he set up a primitive sort of camp for him to spend the night in.  
  
He was sleepy.  
  
The unaccustomed strain of keeping his senses on alert all day was wearing at him and his movements were slow and sluggish.  
  
Deciding that the camp was complete enough he started a fire. Making certain that it was far enough away from any errant plants that might end up getting burned.  
  
Yes, starting a forest fire would be bad. Really bad.  
  
After eating a distinctly inferior bowl of soup - it had been a long time since he had last been forced to live on his own cooking - he doused the fire thoroughly, making certain that not a single spark was alive to light the surrounding area while he slept.  
  
Curling up on the soft ground Kazuto was soon asleep.  
  
***  
  
Pale golden eyes glittered in the darkness as the renowned Youko Kurama surveyed the tiny camp and it's sleeping occupant.  
  
The other members of his band were hidden in the trees behind him.  
  
His eyes narrowed, as his mouth curved into a slight smirk. He gestured to his people.  
  
"Get him. Bring him to the hideout. Hurt him only if he struggles." The band of thieves made famous by their leader disappeared to do his bidding.  
  
Youko Kurama faded back into the night. He had found what he wanted.  
  
~Owari~  
  
Yay! Youko Kurama.  
  



End file.
